Chromatic-scale keyboard



Aug. 14. 1928.

W. l. ZIDELL CHROMATIC SC LE KEYBOARD Filed July 5, 1927 pianos.

Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES;

WILLIAM I. ZIDELL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA;

CHROMATIC-SCALE KEYBOARD.

Application filed July 5,

This invention relates to keyboards of musical instruments and, while features of the invention may he applied to a keyboard of any instrument, the invention is particularly As ordinarily constructed, the white keys of the board produce only natural notes on the instrument and the black keys which are located at intervals on the keyboard are disposed intermediately with respect to the white keys and these keys produce sharp and flat notes. In playing sometimes a musician desires to produce a run of notes on what is known as a chromatic scale; With the ordinary keyboard this cannot be readily done, because the black keys that produce the sharp and flat notes are located at a higher level than the white keys. The object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard for an instrument of this kind having a specialconstruction which will enable a chromatic scale to be readily played on the instrument; also to accomplish this end without necessitating any change in the construction or arrange ment of the keys which might interfere with playing the instrument in the normal way;

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel parts and combination of parts to be described hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce an efiicient chromatic scale keyboard. 7

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective showing the front portion of a piano and illustrating a keyboard embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan of a portion of the key board upon an enlarged scale, the board at,

the back of the keyboard being shown in horizontal section.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken about on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 41s a vertical section taken on the line 4i-4 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, '1 represents the keyboard ofa piano 2 to which I have applied my invention. This keyboard comprises a series of whitekeys 1 which are constructed and mounted'in the usual way in the piano. These keys produce natural notes on the instrument. The keyboard in cludes a second series of keys, namely, black' keys 2 which are disposed in the usual manner intermediately between the keys 1, that is to say, these black keys are disposed applicable to the keyboard of 1927. Serial No. 203,359.

in the usual alternating groups, each group having two or three keys.

As usual, the upper faces 3 of the black keys are located at a higher level than the upper; faces 4: of the white keys (see Figure 3 As usually constructed, the black keys 2* of a keyboard extend back to the board 5 at the rear of the keyboard.

In applying my invention to sucha keyboard, I construct the black keys 2 so that in the regular way, but when he desires to produce a run on the chromatic scale he can do so merely by pressing the keys in succession at their rear ends.

As indicated in Figure 4., the corners of all the keys at their depressed faces 6 are formed with rounded faces or fillets 7 These rounded corners facilitate the passing of the pianists fingers from one key to the next when the run or chromatic scale is played.

What I claim is 1. A keyboard for a musical instrument, having a series of keys adapted to produce natural notes on the instrument, said keys having their upper faces disposed atthe same level, a second series of keys disposed intermediately between the first named keys adapted to produce flat and sharp notes, said second series of keys having their upper faces disposed at a higher level than the keys of the first series, and also having de- 1,680,582. PATENT OFFICE;

pressed faces on their upper sides at the second series of keys having their upper faces disposed at a higher level than the keys of the first series, said second series of keys having depressed faces at their rear ends 10 named keys, adapted to produce flat and sharp notes, said black keys having their upper faces disposed at a higher level than the'white keys, said black keys having depressed faces on their upper sides located at the same level as the upper faces of the White keys. I

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 30th'day of June, 1927.

WILLIAM I. ZIDELL. 

